Terrestre Hotel — Hotel in Oaxaca

I can assure you that it is almost physically painful for me to type this less-than-stellar review of a hotel that I have been dying to stay at for years. Unfortunately I do feel that I need to get the word out, and hopefully provide the hotel group helpful feedback so they can improve the experience for other guests.

First, the pros: the buildings, ambiance, and overall architecture of the place are absolutely STUNNING. It actually may look even better in person than in photos. The rooms themselves were stark and lovely overall (minus a few major issues, see below) and the rooftop private pools on top of the rooms are cool and romantic.

The cons: service was somewhat friendly but otherwise poor. It’s advertised as being a 5 star hotel but the staff were unfortunately extremely slow and seemed genuinely disinterested. This was quite odd for me to experience and I have traveled extensively in Mexico and have otherwise almost exclusively loved the service I have received.

the rooms are not air-conditioned and not bug-proofed. I got like 10 mosquito bites. I knew these things going in, of course, but actually experiencing them made me realize that it’s ridiculous that a 5-star resort doesn’t have air-conditioning. But assuming they won’t install air-conditioning because it doesn’t fit the vibe and architecture, they do need much stronger fans in the room

the dinners were generally not great. Unimaginative food that was poorly cooked. The breakfasts were good though.

there was not a clear way to communicate with the front desk or housekeeping (no phone in room, etc). Perhaps we missed a WhatsApp or something? But each time we needed something we had traipse through the sand and cacti forest (the cacti are gorgeous though) to the front desk.

Listen, this hotel is great for making your friends and frenemies jealous on Instagram, because the looks are there. We just didn’t really enjoy our stay as much as we thought we would for the reasons listed above. I’m not saying don’t go, just...

We agree with most of the reviews, this hotel is special and we enjoyed it but definitively not a 5 star hotel. We were told by some friends that the best staff goes to Hotel Escondido, which is next door and slightly more expensive.

Pro: Stunning architecture, peaceful, quiet dinner and breakfast were delicious. The breakfast was very large so we always skipped lunch fast replies on WhatsApp it includes a hamam great service from Blanca and the manager (Carlos?) after we complained that we were told there is no vegetarian option. there are cute dogs and cats on the property

Con: service was very poor Examples:

there were no towels in our room when we arrived. After we asked, they only brought two, forgetting the towels for our private pool the lamp that they gave us to walk around at night had 0 battery. Again, we expect to have it fully charged especially as we couldn’t see anything at night water wasn’t refilled in our rooms after they cleaned it we went to the hamam and the beach and both had used glasses, so we couldn’t drink any of the water they offered… at the pool, dishes and towels were left all day by previous guests and the staff didn’t clean it for hours during dinner our water glasses weren’t refilled, we had to keep asking NO vegetarian option, when asked they said they didn’t have any. Then someone next to us complained and they gave him one. We are not strict vegetarian so it’s was OK it’s very open which means that bats came in at night into our room from the bathroom. The rooms have a fan and bats often get hurt !!! they didn’t explain much about the property, how it’s fully powered by solar energy etc, such a shame! They could have told us how to charge the lamp ourself etc no explanation on the hamam SO many mosquitos came into the room because there are no mosquito nets in...

An incredible experience if you're looking for a place to disconnect surrounded by art and architecture!

The hotel is a showcase of the work of renowned Mexican architect Alberto Kalach, who tastefully utilizes local and rustic materials in every construction detail. The landscaping is a labyrinth of sandy walkways that welcome you, inviting you to leave your shoes at the door, as you won't need them from the moment you enter the property. Along the paths, you'll discover two pools, a hammam, a gazebo, and a brick smokestack that double as an outdoor shower... amenities that are closer to functional sculptures, each of which spaces can be used without other guests, with a "yes" or "no" note indicating whether it's being used by someone else.

Across a small dirt road, you'll come to a small beach club called "Lunatic," a quiet and relaxing place to enjoy the Pacific Ocean without the hustle and bustle.

The hotel is adults-only and is a quiet, relaxing place surrounded by flora and fauna. Some interesting details about the 14 rooms: they have a plunge pool on the top floor, a hammock, and a sun lounger. The doors opposite the bed open completely to the desert, integrating the room with the outdoors. The showers also have openings to the outside. The restaurant's food is good, and the hotel staff is attentive and friendly.

Other facts: they use 100% solar energy, so there is very little lighting at night. They provide a flashlight on the nightstand to explore the property; it's part of the experience. BE ADVISED The rooms DO NOT have air conditioning; it's recommended to request an additional fan from reception. The hotel is 45 minutes from Puerto...